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My girlfriend is flying from Beijing to the US. I bought her a ticket from cheaptickets.com. The e-ticket would definitely work in America but I'm worried if it will work at her Chinese airport. From what I can tell, the traveler information provided is her full name and airline ticket number. The cheap tickets booking number and airline record locator is also on it.

I'm worried this might not be enough information. I refunded her last ticket because the first and last name were reversed and the airline told her she might be denied boarding. Thus, I bought her this new ticket with a new airline. Although her first and last name were definitely entered in correctly in their system, on the e-ticket it lists her name as Z***** L**, with her last name as L**. This is correct because US convention is to write first name first and last name second. However, the convention is opposite in China and I worry the airline may deny her boarding because of this.

Are my worries unfounded?

EDIT: I know the it is entered in the system correctly because when looking up her records I am asked to enter in her last name and I use L**, which is correct. What I am worried about his how it is written on the ticket and whether this will affect anything.

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    As long as first name is first name and last name is last name it does not invalidate a ticket if they are written in different conventions. If a country uses last name first they usually put a comma after the last name to denote that. like L**, Z*****.
    – Hanky Panky
    Jul 13, 2015 at 6:38
  • Well, how did it go? Generally you need a printout of the itinarary in China so they can stamp it at the airport.
    – lalala
    Jun 9, 2021 at 15:21

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Call the airline directly to double check the name on the ticket. If it is entered correctly in the airline system in the USA, it will be OK at check in in China. The check in agents in Beijing will access the same reservation record as the US call center agents see.

A lot of times, the name displayed on an eticket or boarding pass is not as you would expect it to be, rather it is in the format specified by the airline.

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    I know the it is entered in the system correctly because when looking up her records I am asked to enter in her last name and I use L**, which is correct. What I am worried about his how it is written on the ticket and whether this will affect anything.
    – Shoogiebaba
    Jul 12, 2015 at 23:32
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    The check in agents know what to look for when they are looking up a booking. If she has the PNR (airline record locator), then everything will be fine. It really doesn't matter how the name is written on the eTicket, what counts in the long run is the name in her passport matching the name in the airline booking record. And since you have already verified that is correct ....
    – user13044
    Jul 12, 2015 at 23:41
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    It's been years since I have even given them the e-ticket. We go to the counter for our flight and hand them our passports, they take our bags and give us our boarding passes. We always have it in our carryon but we've gotten out of the habit of handing it to them. Admittedly, this is Shanghai/PVG rather than Beijing.
    – Loren Pechtel
    Jul 13, 2015 at 3:40

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